The Association for Behavior Analysis International® (ABAI) is a nonprofit membership organization with the mission to contribute to the well-being of society by developing, enhancing, and supporting the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice.

Description: Research supports evidence-based play interventions impact on future communication and language skills, cognitive functioning, as well as social interactions for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Sigman and Ruskin, 1999, found a correlation between the ability to engage in appropriate functional play and early language ability with long-term gains in expressive vocabulary. Encompassing a developmental sequence of play with behavioral interventions should be the focus of programming (Lifter, 2011). Based upon the instructors' clinical and research experience teaching functional play through sociodramatic play, participants will learn how to incorporate the developmental sequences of play and language to systematically teach play, from assessment through mastery criteria. The ACI Play Protocol incorporates a systematic approach to teaching preschool-aged children appropriate play skills and language. Play components, which include appropriate play with figures (dolls/stuffed animals), adults, and peers are taught using individualized treatment packages. Specific skills include abstract play with and without objects, rotating between play schemes, combining items from 2 or more play schemes, initiating, responding and expanding on current play targets. Workshop objectives will be met by alternating between didactic instruction, discussion, video modeling, and small group activities including role plays.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to: (1) discuss the developmental stages of play for typically developing children; (2)discuss the language development during play for typically developing children; (3) assess play and implement behaviorally-based interventions to teach each developmental stage of play; (4)modify play at each developmental stage of play; (5) assess mastery and track data for each developmental stage of play.

Activities: Workshop objectives will be met by alternating between didactic instruction, discussion, modeling, and small group activities including role modeling.